


The Day After Christmas

by Bleck



Category: Animorphs - Katherine A. Applegate
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Nonbinary Tobias, Post Christmas, autistic tobias
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-26
Updated: 2017-12-26
Packaged: 2019-02-22 05:21:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,092
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13160121
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bleck/pseuds/Bleck
Summary: Just a short post-christmas fic about friends.





	The Day After Christmas

Tobias was on their way back to Ax's scoop, with Ax on the ground below, from performing the morning rituals when they saw it. A note left just inside which was held in place with a small rock. Alarm bells blared in their mind before logic stifled them. Notes on scrap paper were absolutely not the Yeerks style. Especially not with nice handwriting- a detail they were able to pick out as they got closer. 

<Someone left you a note, Ax-man.> Tobias said, curious now that they weren't about to panic. They were sure they could though if they needed to. They flew down to perch on their favorite nearby tree so they could read the note, Ax was fast but they had better eyesight and they were sure Ax wouldn't mind figuring it out. <Oh. It's from Cassie.>

<Is she in danger?> Ax asked, still scanning the area with his stalk eyes with his tail blade poised and at the ready. Searching for an enemy.

<No, she's fine. It reads: Hey guys, sorry about not being able to have Christmas together as a group. There's a lot of snacks left over though. I wasn't sure what to bring and you weren't here to ask so I left a note. Cassie.> Tobias announced.

<Are you still hungry, Tobias?> Ax asked. They had performed the morning rituals and went their separate ways to find breakfast before reuniting minutes ago.

<It's still early but we can go see what she has.> Tobias chuckled. <I can go tell her we're coming if you want.>

<Yes. I will find clothing to put on.> Ax nodded.

<Good luck.> Tobias took off with a few flaps of their wings.

The flight to Cassie's was quick but wonderful. Tobias loved this time of day. Morning but not too early that there were no thermals but late enough that it was bright even with human eyes. It was times like this that they loved being a hawk. Tobias shook their head to push back the quick undercurrent of angst and despair that showed itself. Instead, they focused on the beauty of the day and the thought of Jake's eyes sparkling in the sun. They would have smiled if they had had a mouth. 

'I wonder if he has plans.' Tobias thought. Jake, Cassie, and Rachel were on vacation for the rest of the week because of Christmas. Tobias was sure they and Jake could find time to hang out if Jake wanted to.

Tobias was still thinking about Jake, about his eyes and a certain smile that he had when he woke up in a good mood, when they got to Cassie's. They blamed thinking about Jake as to how she saw him first. Not that anyone would know, that was just embarrassing. Tobias had been circling her farm looking for her when they saw she wasn't in her bedroom. They hadn't even thought of the kitchen, they had been about to pass it when they saw her parents moving inside.

'Merry Christmas,' Cassie mouthed from her kitchen.

<Merry Christmas. Well, a day late. You're eating, sorry. We just saw your note and you know how Ax is. When did you even leave it?> Tobias said from their perch atop the barn.

Cassie's mom set a plate of food in front of her which Cassie thanked her for. She cracked four of her fingers against the edge of the table then two on her other hand.

<Ah. Ax had just met me so we could do the morning rituals.> Tobias said. They were sure that the smile Cassie had was for that. She liked that they spent time together for whatever reason. <When did you want us to stop by?>

Cassie said something to her parents that Tobias couldn't make out even with superior hawk hearing. They watched as her parents shared a quick, nonverbal, conversation that they definitely couldn't understand. Her father said something to her and whatever it was was good enough for Cassie, she signed the word for perch. 

<Ok. Take your time with breakfast, I can wait.> Tobias said before they flew off to wait in the tree by her bedroom. They didn't think it was the greatest tree but it was ok, it would do for a few minutes anyway. Usually when they spent time with Cassie, like when they practiced sign language, it was in the barn or in her bedroom. 

Tobias was glad they'd started to relearn it, they remembered some words as a kid but never had anyone to practice with so they forgot most of it. Professor Powers had suggested if after they confessed that it was too hard to talk sometimes and their aunt or uncle would yell at them for it. Not that they had said it would be useless since they would never have been interested in learning. But it had been fun to try for no other reason than to learn. 

Cassie had started to learn it after a deaf student joined one of her classes and asked the animorphs if anyone would be willing to judge the motions for her. They were all surprised when Tobias mentioned that they knew some. Tobias found that, when they had hands, practicing kept their hands busy and gave them something to do instead of just being there which they didn't like.

Minutes later, Tobias had no way to tell how long exactly, Cassie opened the door to her bedroom. "Good morning, Tobias." She said as she opened the window.

<Morning.> 

"I pretended to call you so you can swing by whenever. My parents are very happy they can get rid of all the food we have left over."

<Thanks, i'm sure Ax will enjoy the food.>

"Do you not want any?" Cassie asked, giving them a look that Tobias couldn't interpret. 

<Eh.> They shrugged.

"There's a raspberry tart that we're probably just going to throw away." She mentioned, oh so casually. 

<Oh. Well, I guess it wouldn't hurt to eat some. You don't need to waste food.> Tobias said. 

"I'm glad." Cassie said with a smile tugging on her lips. She knew how they were with gifts, they'd balk if they didn't have something to give in return. Tobias didn't need to know she made it for them specifically. She'd tell them after they'd enjoyed it when it was too late to refuse. "I'll see you in a bit?"

<Yea. Thanks, Cassie.>

"It's no problem, Tobias."

<It's still nice.>

"It's Christmas."

<It's the day after Christmas.>

"So?"

<Thanks, Cassie.>


End file.
